Years ago I would write out my Christmas cards the weekend after Thanksgiving. After I was separated, I didn’t have the heart to sign my name all by itself to that long list of about 80, and when I got far less cards, I realized the sad truth: I mostly got cards from people who had gotten one from me. Sort of a wierd cycle, not as festive as it should be, I thought. The last few years have found me skipping out on the cards entirely, but in 2007, I want to send cards to a carefully selected list of folks: those whom I don’t talk to much during the year, but still care about and want to send a cheerful “thinking of you” to during the holidays.
So, today I’ll write up a list that I can add to throughout the year as I identify the people I want to remember with a card. I’ll also be budget minded and see how many cards I think I’ll need. I’ll take stock of how many cards I have around (because, yeah, I bought them and never wrote them this year) and how many more I’ll need. And I’ll buy them now while they’re still 75% off.
Organized Elf tip: draft the card list early and stock up on cards while the price is right. Later in the year we’ll deal with updating the address list (sooner rather than later if you’re also a bride this year as I am!).
My mom keeps an up to date address book, then when card time comes around she goes through it and sends cards to the people she needs to send. You can even mark in the address book which people to send cards too. That way it is multifunction with being an address book and a way to keep track of your Christmas cards.
If you print labels for Christmas cards (I don’t, but maybe I’ll consider it) you could keep a computer file throughout the year with names and addresses, then simply load your label sheets and hit “print” when the season draws near.
We print our own cards (ask me ow long it’s been since we sent any though), so for us your great suggestion translates into designing and printing early. Sounds good to me.
What Geo said! I do that and it saves SO much time. I also have labels made already for Thank you notes too!
I think this sounds like a great idea- the whole blog concept. I got here through Spindlers list and think I will bookmark this page, too. I ama born procrastinator, so this may help!
I am blessed in this department that is for sure. Anne, my spouse, is an artist and has for more years than we have been married been creating her own Yule cards. They are almost always a night scene from around the Islands somewhere often with lighted boats, but there have been Holly Trees, wind shaped Spruce trees, Nativity scenes and so on. People beg to be put on our list and so I think this year about 80 went out. It is her delight and why on earth should I interfere. They are addressed and written in by hand with an individual message. I do the Yule letter and this year I aim to keep a diary so I do not have to reconstruct the year from scratch in mid November.
I’m going out today for errands and cards will now be on my list. Great idea!